Puppy Treats: What Puppies Can Have at Every Age (Australian Guide)

The short answer

Most puppies can have their first treats from about 8 weeks of age, usually the week they arrive home. The RSPCA notes that puppies naturally wean off their mother's milk at around 8 to 12 weeks, and start eating solid food on their own from around 7 to 8 weeks. Once your puppy is settled on solids, a tiny, soft or crumbly treat is perfectly fine. The rules that matter are simple. Treats should be pea sized or smaller for a young pup, soft enough for baby teeth, introduced one at a time, and kept to a small slice of the daily diet. The bulk of the diet should stay a high quality, balanced commercial puppy food, the RSPCA's baseline advice for growing dogs. This guide covers what suits puppies at each stage, the size and texture rules, and the foods puppies must never have. For how to actually use treats to train your pup, see our companion piece, the [dog training treats guide](/dog-training-treats-guide/).

When can puppies have their first treat?

From roughly 8 weeks, once your puppy is fully onto solids. The RSPCA Knowledgebase puts natural weaning at around 8 to 12 weeks of age, with pups beginning to eat on their own from about 7 to 8 weeks. Since Australian puppies generally go to their new homes at 8 weeks or later, a healthy pup coming home is ready for small, age appropriate treats. A few guardrails for those first weeks: 1. Keep the base diet consistent. The RSPCA recommends a high quality balanced premium commercial puppy food as the basis of the diet, and the Australian Veterinary Association's nutrition policy says all pet food and treats sold in Australia should comply with Australian Standard AS5812, the standard that exists to keep pet food safe. 2. Little and often. The RSPCA advises offering puppies food at least 4 times per day to begin with, gradually reducing the number of meals as they grow. Treats sit inside that routine, not on top of it, because the RSPCA also warns against overfeeding growing pups. 3. One new thing at a time. US based VCA Animal Hospitals suggests introducing any new treat slowly, offering only a small piece at first. If your puppy has a sensitive stomach, is underweight, or came home earlier than 8 weeks, check with your Australian vet before adding anything beyond their puppy food.

8 to 12 weeks: tiny tastes and gentle introductions

At this age a treat is a teaching tool, not a snack. Your pup is learning their name, that hands near their food and body are a good thing, and that new experiences pay off. You want treats close to crumb sized, soft or easily crushed, and made from simple ingredients. What works well from our bakery at this stage: 1. [Beef Liver Sprinkles 100g ($11.95)](/beef-liver-sprinkles-100g-dog-treats/). Fine crumbles to sprinkle over puppy food or let them lick from your palm. Ideal for first positive associations because a serve is genuinely tiny. 2. [Milk Crunchies with Chicken ($12.00)](/milk-crunchies-with-chicken-dog-enrichment-treats-dog-or-puppy-training-treats/). A milk based bake we make with puppies in mind. Light, small and easy on baby teeth. 3. [Little Chicken Bites ($7.00)](/little-chicken-bites-dog-enrichment-treats-dog-or-puppy-training-treats/) and [Little Beef Bites ($7.00)](/little-beef-bites-dog-treats-1kg). Small bites made for puppy and dog training. For an 8 week old, break each bite in half again. 4. [Chicken Micro Bones 100g ($5.20)](/chicken-micro-bones-100g-dog-training-treats/). Our smallest biscuit in a trial sized bag, perfect for finding out what your new pup goes mad for. Plain puppy kibble from the daily ration also works as a low value treat at this age. Save the tastier stuff for moments that matter, like nail touches and the first car ride.

3 to 6 months: the teething window

The RSPCA notes that between four and six months of age the permanent teeth appear and grow rapidly, and that introducing puppy specific chew toys and healthy chewable treats can alleviate teething issues. In plain terms, your puppy's mouth is sore, everything within reach becomes a chew toy, and the right treats can redirect that urge onto something you approve of. Texture is the whole game here: light crunch that shatters easily, or a gentle chew, rather than rock hard treats. The RSPCA warns that hard bones can break teeth, and erupting adult teeth deserve the same caution. Good picks for the teething months: 1. [Lamb Puff ($11.95)](/lamb-puff-lamb-lung-dog-treats/). Dried lamb lung is airy and crisp, so it breaks down easily while still feeling like a satisfying chew. 2. [Veggie Tubes ($5.50)](/veggie-tubes-vegetarian-dog-treats-training-treats/). A light vegetarian tube with a hollow crunch that suits sore mouths. 3. [Bug Chew with Beetroot and Carrot ($7.25)](/bug-chew-dog-treats-beetroot-and-carrot/) or [Bug Chew with Pumpkin and Turmeric ($7.25)](/bug-chew-dog-treats-pumpkin-and-turmeric/). Softer insect protein chews that give the jaw something to work on without the hardness of a bone. 4. The micro bones range in [chicken ($7.95)](/chicken-micro-bones-dog-training-treats/), [beef ($7.95)](/beef-micro-bones-dog-training-treats/) and [kangaroo ($7.95)](/kangaroo-micro-bones-dog-training-treats/). This is also the age most pups start puppy school, and a pocketful of tiny biscuits will carry you through a whole class. Our full [dog training treats range](/dog-training-treats/) is built around exactly this stage of life.

6 to 12 months: the adolescent

By six months most pups have their adult teeth, a bigger frame and, frankly, a shorter attention span. Recall, loose lead walking and calm greetings are the projects of this half of puppyhood, and they demand higher value rewards than a bit of kibble. What earns its keep now: 1. [Kangaroo Jerky Cubes ($12.95)](/kangaroo-jerky-cubes-dog-treats/). Rich, meaty and easy to tear smaller. A classic high value recall reward. 2. [Little Fish Bites ($7.00)](/little-fish-bites-dog-enrichment-treats-dog-training-treats/) and [Little Insect Protein Bites ($6.00)](/little-insect-protein-bites-dog-enrichment-treats-dog-training-treats/). Small training bites with strong aromas, which matters when you are competing with the dog park. 3. [Chicken Breast Chews ($12.95)](/chicken-breast-chicken-chews-dog-treats/). Pure chicken breast you can shred into training sized strips, or give whole as a bigger reward. 4. For supervised chew sessions with larger pups approaching their first birthday, longer chews like our [Chicken Sticks 20cm ($15.95)](/chicken-sticks-20cm-dog-treats/) give the jaw a proper workout. Always supervise and take away small end pieces. An adolescent doing three short sessions a day can rack up a lot of treats, so use tiny pieces, count them as part of the daily food intake, and trim dinner on big training days. A [treat pouch ($29.95)](/dog-training-treat-pouch-and-training-pack/) makes the mechanics easier, and the method itself is covered step by step in our [dog training treats guide](/dog-training-treats-guide/).

Size and texture rules for puppies

Whatever the packet says, apply these rules first: 1. Pea sized or smaller for training. A training treat should be gone in one or two chomps. Tiny pieces also keep the daily total sensible across dozens of repetitions. 2. Beware the awkward middle size. The dangerous treat is one small enough to gulp whole but big enough to lodge. The RSPCA specifically flags small pieces of raw bone and roughly cut vegetables as hazards, and the same logic applies to any treat. When in doubt, break it smaller. 3. Soft and crumbly beats hard. Baby teeth and freshly erupted adult teeth are not built for very hard chews. The RSPCA warns that bones can break teeth even in adult dogs. 4. Match the treat to the puppy in front of you. A treat sized for an adult Labrador is not a treat for a 10 week old Cavalier. Our little bites and micro bones exist because most treats on the market are too big for small mouths. 5. Supervise anything chewable, and remove the last small piece. 6. Introduce one new protein at a time, starting with a small piece, so that if a tummy upset follows you know the culprit.

Treats and foods puppies must never have

The RSPCA Knowledgebase keeps a list of foods toxic to puppies and dogs, and it is worth knowing cold. Never feed: alcohol, onions and onion powder, garlic, chocolate, coffee or caffeine products, mouldy or spoiled foods or compost, avocado, bread or yeast dough, grapes, raisins, sultanas, currants, nuts including macadamia nuts, fruit stones or pits, mushrooms, and fruit seeds. The RSPCA notes this is not a complete list, so if it is not made for dogs and you are not sure, do not feed it. Beyond the toxic list, the RSPCA also warns against cooked bones, which should never be fed, along with small pieces of raw bone, fatty trimmings, corncobs and salty foods. Cooked bones splinter, and for a puppy even a small splinter is serious. Two puppy specific additions from our bakery bench. First, chocolate deserves its own mention because puppies are small, and dose matters. US based VCA Animal Hospitals explains that chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which dogs are far more sensitive to than people. That is exactly why dog bakeries like ours use carob instead (more in the FAQ below). Second, skip anything sized or marketed for large adult dogs until your pup has the jaws and judgement for it. If your puppy does eat something from the list above, contact your Australian vet or nearest emergency vet straight away rather than waiting for symptoms.

Treats for socialisation: banking good experiences

In their first months at home your puppy is forming lifelong opinions about the world, and treats are the fastest way to stack those opinions in your favour. A few high value moments to spend them on: 1. The vet clinic. Let the clinic staff feed your pup a tiny treat at every visit, including visits where nothing happens. A dog who thinks the vet is a treat dispenser is a gift to your future self. 2. Handling. Pair treats with paw touches, ear checks, brushing and having their collar held. 3. Sounds and surfaces. Thunder recordings, the vacuum, traffic noise, grates and wet grass. A calm pup gets a crumb, and the strange thing becomes background noise. 4. Meeting people and dogs. Reward calm interest rather than full throttle excitement. Keep the pieces tiny, because socialisation happens dozens of times a day. The mechanics of timing, marker words and reward placement live in our [dog training treats guide](/dog-training-treats-guide/). And when the first birthday or gotcha day rolls around, our [dog birthday bundles](/dog-birthday-bundles/) include puppy friendly party packs so the celebration is as safe as it is silly.

Our puppy range at a glance, mapped by stage

Everything below is baked or dried by us, an Australian family pet treat bakery since 2014. 8 to 12 weeks: [Beef Liver Sprinkles 100g ($11.95)](/beef-liver-sprinkles-100g-dog-treats/), [Milk Crunchies with Chicken ($12.00)](/milk-crunchies-with-chicken-dog-enrichment-treats-dog-or-puppy-training-treats/), [Little Chicken Bites ($7.00)](/little-chicken-bites-dog-enrichment-treats-dog-or-puppy-training-treats/), [Chicken Micro Bones 100g ($5.20)](/chicken-micro-bones-100g-dog-training-treats/). 3 to 6 months: [Lamb Puff ($11.95)](/lamb-puff-lamb-lung-dog-treats/), [Veggie Tubes ($5.50)](/veggie-tubes-vegetarian-dog-treats-training-treats/), [Bug Chews ($7.25)](/bug-chew-dog-treats-beetroot-and-carrot/), micro bones in [chicken ($7.95)](/chicken-micro-bones-dog-training-treats/), [beef ($7.95)](/beef-micro-bones-dog-training-treats/) and [kangaroo ($7.95)](/kangaroo-micro-bones-dog-training-treats/). 6 to 12 months: [Kangaroo Jerky Cubes ($12.95)](/kangaroo-jerky-cubes-dog-treats/), [Little Fish Bites ($7.00)](/little-fish-bites-dog-enrichment-treats-dog-training-treats/), [Little Insect Protein Bites ($6.00)](/little-insect-protein-bites-dog-enrichment-treats-dog-training-treats/), [Chicken Breast Chews ($12.95)](/chicken-breast-chicken-chews-dog-treats/). Every age: the [Dog Training Treat Pouch and Training Pack ($29.95)](/dog-training-treat-pouch-and-training-pack/) to keep rewards on your hip, the full [dog training treats collection](/dog-training-treats/) for restocks, and the wider [dog treats range](/dog-treats/) for when your puppy graduates to the grown up menu.

Frequently asked questions

When can puppies have their first treat?

From about 8 weeks of age, once they are fully weaned onto solid food. The RSPCA notes that puppies naturally wean at around 8 to 12 weeks and begin eating on their own from about 7 to 8 weeks, so a pup arriving home at 8 weeks is generally ready for tiny, soft treats. Start with crumb sized pieces, one new thing at a time, and keep balanced puppy food as the bulk of the diet.

Can puppies have carob?

Yes. Carob is the dog safe alternative to chocolate. Chocolate is dangerous because it contains theobromine and caffeine, compounds dogs are far more sensitive to than people, as US based VCA Animal Hospitals explains. Carob looks similar but is naturally free of those compounds, which is why dog bakeries use it. Our [Nutty Carob Paws cookies ($8.95)](/nutty-carob-paws-dog-cookies-dog-treats/) are baked with carob; for a puppy, break a cookie into small pieces rather than giving it whole.

How many treats can a puppy have each day?

The widely used rule of thumb from US based VCA Animal Hospitals is that treats should make up no more than 10 percent of daily calorie intake, with the rest from a complete and balanced food. For a small puppy that is a genuinely tiny amount, which is why crumb sized training treats are so useful. On heavy training days, cut meal portions back slightly, and ask your Australian vet to check your pup's growth if unsure.

Do treats help with teething?

They can. The RSPCA notes that permanent teeth come through between four and six months, and that puppy specific chew toys and healthy chewable treats can alleviate teething issues. The key is texture: light, crisp or gently chewy treats that break down easily, such as dried lamb puff, and nothing very hard, since the RSPCA warns that hard bones can break teeth.

What treats should puppies never have?

Never feed anything on the RSPCA's toxic foods list: alcohol, onions, garlic, chocolate, caffeine, mouldy or spoiled food, avocado, bread or yeast dough, grapes, raisins, sultanas, currants, nuts including macadamias, fruit stones, mushrooms or fruit seeds. Cooked bones are also out because they splinter, along with small pieces of raw bone, fatty trimmings, corncobs and salty foods. If your puppy eats any of these, call your Australian vet immediately.

Can I use my puppy's normal food as training treats?

Absolutely. Portion out part of the daily ration of puppy food and hand feed it as rewards, then save higher value bakery treats for harder moments like recall, vet visits and new experiences. This keeps total intake steady, which matters because the RSPCA cautions against overfeeding growing puppies.

Sources

• RSPCA Knowledgebase, What should I feed my puppy?: https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-should-i-feed-my-puppy/
• RSPCA Knowledgebase, What should I feed my dog?: https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-should-i-feed-my-dog/
• Australian Veterinary Association policy, Nutrition of dogs and cats: https://www.ava.com.au/policy-advocacy/policies/companion-animals-management-and-welfare/nutrition-of-dogs-and-cats/
• VCA Animal Hospitals, Dog Treats: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/dog-treats
• VCA Animal Hospitals, Chocolate Poisoning in Dogs: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/chocolate-poisoning-in-dogs
• First party: pillar_data.json key 38 (site catalogue export): https://hudsandtoke.com.au